============================================ || || 12th December 2010 || || LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Readers hints, tips and requests 2. Wildlife Highlights 3. Wildlife reports from around the county 4. News from the Lincolnshire Coast NNRs 5. News from Far Ings NNR 6. News from Bardney Limewoods NNR 7. Sending in Reports - contributors please read! 8. Contact information 9. Notes about these wildlife reports 10. Bulletin publicity policy 11. Events Diary 12. ...and finally..... ============================================ The Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Bulletin is being read by 920 people and we are keen to encourage even more readers to subscribe. LNU Wildnews Bulletins are available on: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Note: Each address contains the relevant date. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union or any associated organisations. Please make contact via the LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ or e-mail wildlifenews@lnu.org, or contact the Editor to join up and contribute articles or reports. [Or cancel!] E-mail: rparsons@enterprise.net ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Readers hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Another Cold Spell Ahead? *** The Weather Outlook website is forecasting a cold winter through to February. See: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ You may still have a chance to do animal tracking in the snow. http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/animal-tracks--154038.pdf *** Heads up for Celestial things *** Some meteors about, Geminids peak 13/14, Ursids 17/23 spoint by Moon: http://meteorshowersonline.com/ http://meteorshowersonline.com/december_radiants.html A total lunar eclipse on December 21, 2010, only partly visible in UK. Cloud permitting. http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/1412010/ http://www.teachingevents.co.uk/2010/08/total-lunar-eclipse-211210/ *** LNU Events Diary *** For LNU meetings and updates see www.lnu.org/events.php or section 12 below. UPDATED! New Information. Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln and start at 2pm. [Unless otherwise stated! See NOTE!] Saturday, January 15, 2011 Extinctions and Invasions: A Social History of British Fauna Dr Naomi Sykes, Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. This is the tile of the recently published book edited by Naomi and Terry O'Connor. Naomi Sykes is a lecturer in zooarchaeology in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. Naomi's research focuses on human-animal relationships and how they inform on the structure, ideology and practice of past societies. Recent work by Naomi, advances our understanding of Norman hunting influences and reassesses the functioning of medieval parks and the role of hunting in society. Interrupting these functions leads to an assessment of past animal populations with Naomi's work at Fishbourne in Sussex proving that Fallow NOTE: This meeting is being supported by the University of Lincoln, the venue is Riseholme, admission £3.50. http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/88116//Location/Oxbow [Editor adds: Idea for a Christmas present?] *** Donna Nook *** Rob Lidstone-Scott writes on 05/12/10: Bulls 312, cows 620, pups 1091. Total for reserve this year 1394 WHILE THERE'S ICE, THE ROAD'S NOT NICE! You are advised to avoid weekend visits or go early/late. For more seal information: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=15 http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/lwt/seals/index.php *** Wildlife Crime *** With cuts in Police budgets in the offing, there is a real risk that Wildlife Crime will be given an even lower priority. After all that has been achieved to combat Wildlife Crime, it would be a pity to see this initiative quietly downgraded or weakened. One way to avoid such erosion is by being relentless in reporting incidents of suspicious behaviour in the countryside. If 900+ pairs of eyes are keeping a lookout, we can ensure that poaching, badger- digging and other countryside crimes are dealt with appropriately. Don't put yourself in danger, but do please make that phone call. Ask for an incident number, as that way it will not be filed under WPB [Waste Paper Basket] and will show in Police crime statistics. Phone details to: 0300 111 0300 or dial 999 in an emergency. Meanwhile, why not sign up to Farm and Country Business Watch via: http://www.lincs.police.uk/ You will need to search for Farm Watch, it is not very prominent. A reflection of Police thinking on Wildlife Crime, perhaps? *** Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT *** On Monday 13th December 2010  you are invited to join us for an illustrated talk  "Dynamics of the Humber Estuary" presented by Mike Sleight, Ecology Officer for N. E. Lincs. There will be festive refreshments provided by members. This will be held  in the banqueting room of Grimsby Town Hall and starts at 7.30 pm. Admission £2. There will be Trust goods stall, raffle and refreshments. All are welcome to join us. For further information contact Jenny Redpath Grimsby 502858 *** Meeting Change - Barton *** Viv Rowett writes: Due to difficult weather conditions, the Barton Area Group of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust cancelled the Wednesday evening meeting booked for 8th Dec at the Far Ings Visitor centre, Far Ings Road, Barton. The members' photographic evening will now take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday 19th January instead of the advertised meeting for that date. Please make use of this spell of unusual weather to take interesting photographs, and bring them along on disc or memory stick or slides to show at the meeting.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Wildlife Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Birds Alert *** Rare Bird Alert has kindly given permission to reproduce reports. A big thank you from us all. Interested readers should have a look at the RBA website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Note: I am adapting RBA pager information for the Bulletin by eliminating or summarising/consolidating repeated messages. When there is a lot of information I will stick to highlights. Please visit the RBA website for updates or fuller details. 5th 18 Waxwings, Lincoln, Tentercroft St 3 Scaup, Rimac 6th 29 Waxwings, Lincoln, Tentercroft St 12 Waxwings, Cleethorpes 2 Lapland, 50+ Snow Buntings, Cleethorpes coast 3 Waxwings. Grimaby, Weelsby road 2 Caspian Gulls, Whisby NP Rough-legged Buzzard still at South Ferriby 23 Snow B Saltfleet, Crook bankuntings 7th 40+ Waxwings, Lincoln, Tentercroft St 13 Waxwings, Fulbeck 8 Waxwings, Gibraltar Point 8th 14 Waxwings, Tetney Blow Wells 43 Waxwings, Lincoln, Tentercroft St 6 Waxwings, Lincoln, Allenby Rd 4 Waxwings, Frampton Marsh Waxwing, Kirkby on Nain 13 Waxwings, Fulbeck, Washd6 Waxwings, Stallingboroughyke Road also Whooper Swans, Marsh Farm. 50 Snow buntings, Short eared owl. Cleethorpes coast. Rough-legged Buzzard still at South Ferriby 9th 22 Waxwings, Lincoln, Ermine Estate. 10th Firecrest, Whisby 11th 3 Waxwings, Langtoft, Stowe Road 6 Lapland Buntings, 16 Whooper Swans, Frampton Marsh 6 Shorelarks, Ginraltar Point Firecrest, Whisby Bird Alert website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Here you can register free to use the site and get free trials of their subscription services. [Please mention the Bulletin if you decide to subscribe.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. Car Journey: Alford to Heighington car journey. John Nickson Sunday 5th Dec 2010, 15:30 – 16:30 5 Deer.  On the road Omex corner Bardney, New Park Wood. I think they were Roe or Chinese water deer. Expect they were after the salt. I often see deer at this point but only singles. 4 Brown hares. Moor Farm, Fields either side the road at Right Left bends before Bardney after Waddingworth. They really stand out in the half light snow. 3 Barn Owls, 2 Partney both seen together just 50 mts apart. 1 Hagworthingham. (Usually see one off the causeway at Bardney But not this evening.) 2 Woodcock,  Bardney New Park Wood and Miles Cross Hill. 1 Fox, Farlesthorpe. There were also 3 coveys of partridges and several pheasants along the way. All in all an interesting drive home. Possible Otter? M Pocklington On Friday as I struggled through the snow near Mirror pool, Tattershall Thorpe lakes, I saw an animal cross between the two lakes. It looked like an otter, two to three feet long, low to the ground, long tail. that peculiar 'bum in the air' motion. I saw it in silhouette and it just looked black in the snow and I was about 30 feet away from it. I could tell it was too large for a stoat, the wrong colour for a weasel; maybe it was a mink but I thought they were fatter and smaller. But then I thought that otters only were only found in running water. I tried to find its trail but there were no definite prints just marks as it pushed through the snow and I didn't have my camera with me. My question is 'are there otters around here?' Chris Manning replies: Size wise I am certain this is an otter, as at the distance you had seen it your estimation of size would be very accurate. Otters particularly dog otter have large ranges and do travel over land. In the current freezing conditions the "prize" fish in many fishing lakes are lethargic/dormant and so an easy prey for an otter hence they may hunt in these water and frequent them far more frequently – we had a string of complaints in the cold spell earlier this year for instance. Can you provide a grid reference, reference, as I don't know the area well, I use http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/ and zoom to the location. *** County Wildlife Reports From Readers *** Please keep your reports coming, We rely on you to send in your observations and We welcome information from all readers, be they beginners or professionals. Thanks. BRANSTON, VALLEY ESTATE Janis Wright Week commencing 5/12/2010 There has been a marked drop in the number of birds visiting the bird table as the weather has gradually improved. The species list is still the same but the number of goldfinches seen at any one time has halved- maximum of 5 this week. Particularly noticeable has been the lack of starlings. There was quite a flock last week but only two this. I also note that food bought in for the tits (fat balls, peanuts etc) has been pointedly ignored by them but much appreciated by starlings and sparrows. Several collared doves have become very adept at hanging off the nyjer seed feeder while our resident dunnock has decided that it doesn't have to feed on the ground but can use the feeding tray on our feeding station. FRAMPTON Barry & Jane Kyme Week commencing 29th Nov As conditions have been difficult this week we have not ventured from the garden apart from trips to work. On or around the feeders this week- Great Tits Blue Tits Robins Goldfinches- large numbers Greenfinches Chaffinches Starlings Blackbirds Greater Spotted Woodpecker Sparrowhawk- magnificent female specimen sat on top of seed feeder! Coal Tit Wrens Surprised to see the Woodpecker looking inside a Great Tit nestbox also the Great Tit has started taking his mealworms from the feeder into the nest box next to it presumably to eat in a bit warmer environment. Included in the large number of Blackbirds is a male with horizontal white marks on the lower part of his wings. Wonderful views of a weasel running across the garden in the snow. Also seen from the garden 2 Egrets in adjacent dyke and Barn Owl hunting at dusk. FENTON (garden) SK846 767 Richard Fox 6th December 2010 Great Spotted w/p on feeder Long Tailed tit (5) on fat balls A Lesser Spotted w/pecker regularly visits a near neighbours feeder, so here's hoping! FENTON (Ramper Lane) SK844 772 Richard Fox 6th December 2010 Barn Owl hunting 2.30pm and seen to catch prey sadly on the 8th a neigbouring farmer brought a dead Barn Owl which had been found in one of his barns..hopefully not the same one. Has a British Museum ring on left leg so we will be able to find out where it came from as all local owls are not (to my knowledge) ringed. HORKSTOW Jenny Haynes W/C 7th Dec I spotted a brambling in the garden - first one I've seen for several years. Feeding areas have also been visited by a pied wagtail and up to ten starlings which are rarities here. Plenty of chaffinches, greenfinches, tree sparrows, blue and great tits; several blackbirds and a couple of robins, vying for territory; also dunnocks and wrens. Jackdaws have become adept at feeing off the (hanging) fat balls I also heard, but didn't see, a curlew. LACEBY BECK 05.12.10 Mick Binnion (average snow depth 18"-apart from one spot, a ditch where it was neck height!) Mallard 69 Teal 52 Moorhen 27 Coot 14 Dabchick 2 Mute Swan 2 Herring Gull 4 Black Headed Gull 65 Egret 4 Redshank 2 Snipe 2 Woodcock 2 Crow 12 Rook 38 Magpie 4 Jay 1 Pheasant 4 Red Legged Partridge 8 Wood Pigeon 76 Blackbird 31 Mistle Thrush 3 Fieldfare 4 Redwing 5 Pied Wagtail 2 Chaffinch 6 Goldfinch 2 Greenfinch 6 Great Tit 7 Blue Tit 14 Long Tailed Tit 8 Robin 3 House Sparrow 2 Hedge Sparrow 2 Wren 2 A brilliant birdwatching day and plenty of mammal tracks to follow. Fox, Deer, Rabbit LINCOLN Jim Fish Saw fourteen at Waitrose (Lincoln) Saturday 4 December. Also counted thirty-five at Tentercroft Street Sunday 5th. Told that there were thirty-five on Saturday also. Yellowhammers returned underneath our feeders (Welton by Lincoln) LINCOLN (Allenby Road Industrial Estate) Brian Hedley 8 December 2010 What an excellent day with 6 waxwings fly past my office window (11.20) in Lincoln. No sign of them on a fruit tree locally at lunchtime. Then on drive home had amazing view of the meteor from the Burton ridge road just north of Lincoln. NETTLEHAM TF 005756 Brenda Edlington In the past week Flock of 20 yellowhammers feeding on seed on a cleared patch of lawn Grey wagtail Nettleham beck at the church RAITHBY-CUM-MALTBY, near LOUTH TF 309 847 Silvia Fowler 4-10.12.2010 Some of you will have chuckled at my note about the blue tit's frozen feet. "Birds can't freeze to metal perches because their feet don't have any sweat glands", I've been reminded. There was only the one blue tit that seemed to have that problem, so maybe it had been in the water bowl before it flew onto the feeder, or maybe there was snow on its feet as it landed? Does anyone have another explanation? Surprised to see 4 robins feeding very close to each other in freezing conditions without too many disputes, although one bird eventually did try to assert his dominance. WILDMORE FEN TF216534 A & R Parsons 5/12/10 Walked up to our apiary at Canada Farm, TF 2254. Tracks in snow of rabbit, brown hare, fox and probably roe deer. These last were a bit blurred. The rabbits were using wheelings as motorways, lots of trasks along the ruts left by a passing vehicle. Obviously saves a lot of energy when snow is less deep and more compact. 6/12 at 8am and 7/12/10 morning. Barn owl seen hunting at TF 2155 on 6th and 7th Dec. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Lincolnshire Coast NNRs including RSPB Wash Reserves See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/birds/index.php http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/lwt/seals/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIBRALTAR POINT N.N.R. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/gib/index.php Katherine Bocock No report yet. SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=41 John Walker. w/e 11/12/10 Lowest temperature recorded minus 11.0oc weds morning, snow thawing fri/sat. 4 roe deer and 2 muntjac feeding along field margins adjacent to dunes, in a thawed zone. A washout of starfish early this week bought in c 1200 herring gulls and c200 greater black gulls, a flock of 540 pink foot geese have spent the week roosting on the foreshore and feeding on local oilseed rape, also, c 20 woodcock c220 crows including 1 hooded, 2 peregrines 2 hen harriers, 1 merlin, 1 barn owl. p.s. counted the local pink foot geese flock this moring (sat) and 1034 feeding in local field. RSPB WASH Reserves - Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore John Badley RSPB Lincs Wash Reserves sightings November 2010. RSPB Frampton Marsh http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/index.asp Three Bewick's Swans on 12th were more unexpected than the more numerous records of Whooper Swans. A Black Brant was seen in company of the regular flock of 2500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese on several occasions. Good counts of duck on the Scrapes included 700 Teal on 6th and 650 Wigeon on 13th. Two Scaup were on the Reedbed for much of the month. A Little Stint remained until 7th and up to 53 Ruff were also seen. A Water Pipit made a brief appearance on 1st, as did Frampton's first ever Bearded Tits (3) on 15th, but Lapland Buntings were a little more obliging, with up to eight seen. The highest count of Twite on the Saltmarsh was 90 on 17th. RSPB Freiston Shore http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/index.asp October's American Golden Plover remained with up to 8000 Golden Plovers until 1st. On the sea 75 Common Scoter and two Velvet Scoters were seen on 7th when a 1st winter Glaucous Gull was watched following a shrimp trawler. Two Goosander were also present on the Lagoon. Strong onshore winds on 9th produced Grey Phalarope, Sooty Shearwater, two Manx Shearwaters, 141 Common Scoters, Little Gull and a Red-necked Grebe, which was also seen on 14th and 21st. Two Long-tailed Ducks were seen on 10th and 14th and a Black Brant on 21st. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/far_ings/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAR INGS NNR  No report yet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. News from Bardney Limewoods NNR http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Limewoods/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reports from the following locations will now be posted here to give an overview of Limewoods ecology. The NNR includes the following sites: Chambers Farm Wood (please detail specific area when reporting e.g. Ivy Wood, Little Scrubbs Meadow etc.); College Wood, Cocklode & Great West Woods, Hardy Gang Wood, Newball Wood, Scotgrove Wood, Southrey Wood, Wickenby Wood Other woods included in the NNR but without public access: Stainfield Wood; Stainton & Fulnetby Woods (access by public bridle way only) Adrian Royle's website for photos of species from the Limewoods. http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157616635241942/ No report yet. Wot - no animal tracks in the snow? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Sending in reports to Roger Parsons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire using modern Information and Communication Technology. We hope to increase the number of people reporting observations to LNU Recorders and improve the quality of reports, as well as the quantity and the geographical coverage. [A backup e-mail address you can use if ever you experience problems with my "Enterprise" address is: aintree2@yahoo.co.uk] When sending in reports please follow Bulletin layout to save editing: Place Name: IN CAPITALS with Grid Reference if you have it. Your Name: Real names please, not aliases. Put it in each time, for each location Date: Species list [Alphabetical?] & numbers [and observations?] e.g. Blackbird - 24 [And please, no home-grown abbreviations. Names in full.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Contact Information & Useful Websites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please let me know ASAP if any of these weblinks fail! *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Website *** A full list of LNU Country Recorders is given here. http://www.lnu.org/ LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org If you are not yet a member, the LNU needs good naturalists like you! Anyone interested can get membership application forms via Tori Sandilands at the Lincs Wildlife Trust Horncastle office, e-mail vsandilands@lincstrust.co.uk LNU publications [listed on LNU website] may be ordered via: csmith668@btinternet.com *** Contacts List *** PC Nigel LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer - Community Safety Police HQ Deepdale Lane Nettleham Lincs LN57PH Tel 01522 558684 e-mail: nigel.lound@lincs.pnn.police.uk or Nige LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer County Police Station Sea Lane Ingoldmells Lincs PE24 44XX Tel: 01522 558684 e-mail: nigelound@btinternet.com *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) For further details please contact ashleybutterfield@btinternet.com tel. 07984 66 5847 *** Limestone Grassland Project *** Mark Schofield, Limestone Grassland Project Officer, mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk Mobile: 07825970930, Switchboard: 01507 526667. *** Local Bat Helpline *** Grounded bats, bat problems, advice and information? Contact Annette and Colin Faulkner on 01775 766286 or e-mail: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Bat Recorder *** You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Butterfly Conservation Recorder *** Allan Binding asks contributors of butterfly records to the Bulletin to include their address or contact telephone or e-mail address and Grid Reference if possible. e-mail: allan.binding@ntlworld.com See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/bfly/index.php *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire link *** http://www.lincolnshire-butterflies.org.uk/index.html *** LNU Bees and Wasps Recorder *** Dr Michael Archer 17 Elmfield Terrace, Malton Road, York YO31 1EH. [Willing to check or identify any aculeate wasp or bee specimen. Such a specimen usually has to be relaxed and mounted on a pin before it can be examined. If more than a few specimens are sent in, they must be mounted.] *** OTTERS *** Readers are reminded that all dead Otters should be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. *** Mammal Records *** Mammal records can reported to Mink reports also of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. *** New Met Office Service *** The Met Office website now offers an e-mail notification service for severe weather and other matters which may interest readers. Worth having a look and signing up. Be warned of the possibility of severe weather. See: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090727.html *** LNU Moths Gallery *** There is a moth page on the LNU Website, to promote the recording of moths across the county. http://www.lnu.org/ Also see: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/hawkmoths/index.php *** LNU Plant Galls Recorder *** Graeme Clayton 2 The Dene Nettleham Lincoln LN2 2LS g.clayton@ntlworld.com Willing to check or identify any plant gall material. Recording forms www.british-galls.org.uk *** Slug ID Help *** Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. You can telephone him on: 01427 848400 or e-mail: chris@chrisdufeu.force9.co.uk *** Lincolnshire Badger Group Update *** Ally Townsend of the Weirfield Wildlife Hospital, writes: If you would like to give people the Lincoln number 01522 530428 a member of staff will record the sighting or RTA. Or use the Weirfield website: http://www.weirfield.co.uk/ where a reporting page can be used to send in reports. *** Bird Club Recorder *** LBC County Bird Recorder Steve Keightley: steve.keightley@btinternet.com *** Other Useful Websites *** Key links are now being posted on the LNU website. http://www.lnu.org/ This should save space in the Bulletin, Suggestions for other useful Websites are welcome. Natural England http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Still includes SSSI Information and "Nature on the Map" Lincolnshire Environmental Awards http://www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk/ Lincs. Wildlife Trust Website http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ Useful emergency numbers for wildlife crises. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/ Lincs Environmental Records Centre The Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership (of which LERC is a part) Contact: Charlie Barnes, cbarnes@lincstrust.co.uk or for more general queries: info@lincsbiodiversity.org.uk Tornado and Storm Research Organisation www.torro.org.uk Contact Ian Loxley on colarain@tiscali.co.uk RSPB Contact Details RSPB Website: www.rspb.org.uk www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh John Badley, Site Manager for RSPB Lincolnshire Wash reserves e-mail: freistonshore@rspb.org.uk Bardney Limewoods www.limewoods.co.uk limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society Contact 01507 528223 or by e-mail: enquiries@joseph-banks.org.uk. www.joseph-banks.org.uk EasyTide Check tide times on Admiralty EasyTide: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx TWO - The Weather Outlook Check the weather forecast for the location or postcode: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ Joan Gunson's moths: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v499/jsylvester/Moths%20in%20my%20garden%202010/ Alan Dale's Bugs and Weeds http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/ *** Other Useful E-mail Addresses *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union: info@lnu.org Gibraltar Point: gibpoint@lincstrust.co.uk Far Ings: farings@lincstrust.co.uk Whisby Nature Park: whisbynp@lincstrust.co.uk NEW Syke's Farm: lwt@sykesfarm.org.uk Lincs. Trust HQ: The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust main e-mail address: info@lincstrust.co.uk Lincolnshire FWAG: lincoln@fwag.org.uk Chambers Farm Wood NEW contact - Mary Porter Mary.porter@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Lincolnshire Bird Club Secretary - Janet Eastmead: janet.eastmead@talktalk.net Membership Secretary - Mike Harrison: michael@michaelharrison1.wanadoo.co.uk If you would like your e-mail listed here, please let me know. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. Notes about these wildlife reports ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We do our best to ensure accuracy in our reporting but these records are sent in by a variety of reporters, from complete beginners to professionals. They therefore vary in reliability and in certain cases they are impossible to verify. If further information is needed on locations or reporters, or if you wish to question/confirm any of these records, contact: rparsons@enterprise.net Bulletins are sent to Biological Recorders at the Lincs. Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union and Lincolnshire Bird Club. [Note: Where plants are reported, this is usually because they have been seen and identified in flower.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. The Bulletin's publicity policy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will sometimes withhold precise details of the location of rare or endangered species. Please point out any sensitive or "tricky" reports of this kind. Sensitive data should go directly to county recorders, please. We ask that you respect the interests of wildlife and site owners if you report to national networks. Make a point of explaining site sensitivity and any restrictions on access. An interest in wildlife is not a licence to act irresponsibly/thoughtlessly to landowners, who may well be partners in important conservation work. [Remember - views expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions on the LNU or associated organisations. In particular this applies to such agencies, especially charities, taking a political stance.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. LNU Events Diary For LNU meetings also see www.lnu.org/events.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Field Meetings generally start at 12 noon for 1.00pm, but please check the website details for each event. Unless otherwise stated, Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln and start at 2pm. Saturday, January 15, 2011 Extinctions and Invasions: A Social History of British Fauna Dr Naomi Sykes, Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. This is the tile of the recently published book edited by Naomi and Terry O'Connor. Naomi Sykes is a lecturer in zooarchaeology in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. Naomi's research focuses on human-animal relationships and how they inform on the structure, ideology and practice of past societies. Recent work by Naomi, advances our understanding of Norman hunting influences and reassesses the functioning of medieval parks and the role of hunting in society. Interrupting these functions leads to an assessment of past animal populations with Naomi's work at Fishbourne in Sussex proving that Fallow Deer were kept and bred by the Romans in Great Britain. *** The meeting is being supported by the University of Lincoln, the venue is Riseholme, admission £3.50. http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/88116//Location/Oxbow Saturday, February 12, 2011 Recorders meeting The annual meeting, detailing the highlights of Lincolnshire's flora and fauna for 2010. Saturday, March 12, 2011 Annual General Meeting AGM, followed by the Presidential Address by Ken Rowland ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** If you hear of anyone bemoaning the lack of a Bulletin, please refer them to the Bulletin Portal where they will find a copy. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Recent mailfails: None to report. If you recognise any failed address, please ask them to contact me with a new address if they wish to continue to receive the Bulletin. Thanks. Roger *** Rupert the Deer's Story *** Click on the link:   http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/rupert.html All together: Arrrrrh! ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/